Entry 8-4

Fishing with Mike Wurm

Wurm's Strike King Lure Tactics

Fishing with Mike WurmEditor's Note: Mike Wurm, a 49-year old professional bass fisherman from Hot Springs, Arkansas, first fished competitively in 1978 and began fishing professionally on the BASSMASTER circuit in 1992. Wurm ranked 21st in the Top 150 Tour for 2000-01 and 3rd in the Top 150 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He has had eight top-10 tournament finishes and has competed in five BASS Masters Classics.

Question: What is one of your favorite Strike King tactics?

Answer: One of my favorite Strike King tactics is using that Bitsy Bug on 8-pound-test line with a spinning rod. When anglers think about fishing Bitsy Bugs, most of the time they associate them with heavy rods. But the 8-pound-test line and the spinning rod enable you to finesse that Bitsy Bug, which is a finesse jig.

You can put the Bitsy Bug in some situations that present the lure to the fish in a different way than most jig conditions. What you've got is a small lure that is easily edible by the bass, easily caught and very harmless. So, the bass come out ready to eat the Bitsy Bug. You can catch big bass on it. Many people think that if you're throwing a small lure you will catch small fish. That isn't true. You can catch big bass with that small lure if it's presented in the right situation.

Bitsy BugQuestion: How do you present the lure in the right situation?

Answer: The right situation, I think, is in a fall and early- spring pattern when the waters are mid-50s. That is a great time for using the smaller lure because you can put it around boat docks, logs and rock banks. The bass are just starting to move up. The crawfish haven't gotten big yet and have a nice, marbled color to them. Finesse the Bitsy Bug to the bass. You'll find they can't resist it.

I believe that most people think that with a jig you have to use heavier lines but that isn't the case. With a spinning rod, you get a much bigger feel for the jig and can fish it even better. You can tell that in clear water as well. I like to put a small piece of plastic worm or a plastic eel on the back of the Bitsy Bug. Then the bass have a really small jig on which they can eat.




 

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